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It is an often-repeated piece of advice for numerous people that sharing custody a canine companion post-separation is ill-advised. Most will argue such arrangements impede former couples from finding closure, create logistical nightmares, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for everyone involved. Seemingly, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it can even cause the dogs themselves to feel down.

Without minimizing the inner life of our pets – countless people observe their remarkable empathy. If you need masterclass in pet despair, one need only look another performance. I firmly believe that a dog of Merv's nature, a spirited little dog brought to life by a talented dog named Gus, would struggle adjusting to split households. If this concept an entire Christmas romance on this conflict is sustainable remains rather doubtful.

Standard Holiday Fare

To its credit, Merv, the work of Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and under the guidance of director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than its premise. We have here a holiday release from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the depth remains surface-level. Its storyline unfolds as simple and direct: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), confronting that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a cheer-up vacation to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will undoubtedly stumble toward the idea that they should reunite. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – are crafted as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Its aesthetic has the quality of a streaming service original, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – think flurries piled on lush pines as a summer location substitutes for a cold December city.

The Canine Charisma

Whether these standard ingredients coalesce into something enjoyable hinges on the actors' work and an acceptance of easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – individuals who scroll endlessly for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a wealth of canine-centric sequences. The primary selling point is the dog, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and human reaction, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, finally, doggie joy.

The Two-Legged Cast

This level of success is not earned for the romantic plot. The tone shifts uneasily between emotional depth, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. This is not Charlie Cox, who is fully game the silliness and cringe demanded of the bizarre setting. Cox exhibits a charming humility that supplies much of the film's charm for this seemingly ideal couple. Zooey Deschanel, as is her trademark, imparts a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a little too aloof, particularly when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (For what it's worth, the canine performer is convincing at flopping and whining – while no the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he remains an excellent dog.)

The story strives to provide depth to the central romance for scenes without their pet – a bit of a pity, considering the dog is undoubtedly the most adorable aspect of this film designed for charm. As one might predict, it meets the bare minimum. The reason for their original breakup might seem more grounded and mature with greater exploration and fewer direct statements. In the end, Merv is slight and sweet, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Crafting a story on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if it's hardly a great one either.

• Merv streams on the Amazon platform starting December 10.